Lasers are commonly used in many modern communication components for data transmission. One use that has become more common is the use of lasers in data networks. Lasers are used in many fiber optic communication systems to transmit digital data on a network. In one exemplary configuration, a laser may be modulated by digital data to produce an optical signal, including periods of light and dark output that represents a binary data stream. In actual practice, the lasers emit a high optical output representing binary highs and a lower power optical output representing binary lows. To obtain quick reaction time, the laser is constantly on, but varies from a high optical output to a lower optical output.
Optical networks have various advantages over other types of networks such as copper wire-based networks. For example, many existing copper wire networks operate at near maximum possible data transmission rates and at near maximum possible distances for copper wire technology. On the other hand, many existing optical networks exceed, both in data transmission rate and distance, the maximums that are possible for copper wire networks. That is, optical networks are able to reliably transmit data at higher rates over further distances than is possible with copper wire networks.
One type of laser that is used in optical data transmission is a Vertical Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser (VCSEL). As its name implies, a VCSEL has a laser cavity that is sandwiched between and defined by two mirror stacks. A VCSEL is typically constructed on a semiconductor wafer such as Gallium Arsenide (GaAs). The VCSEL includes a bottom mirror constructed on the semiconductor wafer. Typically, the bottom mirror includes a number of alternating high and low index of refraction layers. As light passes from a layer of one index of refraction to another, a portion of the light is reflected. By using a sufficient number of alternating layers, a high percentage of light can be reflected by the mirror.
An active region that includes a number of quantum wells is formed on the bottom mirror. The active region forms a PN junction sandwiched between the bottom mirror and a top mirror, which are of opposite conductivity type (e.g., a p-type mirror and an n-type mirror). Notably, the notion of top and bottom mirrors can be somewhat arbitrary. In some configurations, light could be extracted from the wafer side of the VCSEL, with the “top” mirror nearly totally reflective—and thus opaque. However, for purposes of this invention, the “top” mirror refers to the mirror from which light is to be extracted, regardless of how it is disposed in the physical structure. Carriers in the form of holes and electrons are injected into the quantum wells when the PN junction is forward biased by an electrical current. At a sufficiently high bias current the injected minority carriers form a population inversion in the quantum wells that produces optical gain. Optical gain occurs when photons in the active region stimulate electrons in the conduction band to recombine with holes in the valence band which produces additional photons. When the optical gain exceeds the total loss in the two mirrors, laser oscillation occurs.
The active region may also include an oxide aperture formed using one or more oxide layers formed in the top and/or bottom mirrors near the active region. The oxide aperture serves both to form an optical cavity and to direct the bias current through the central region of the cavity that is formed. Alternatively, other means, such as ion implantation, epitaxial regrowth after patterning, or other lithographic patterning may be used to perform these functions.
A top mirror is formed on the active region. The top mirror is similar to the bottom mirror in that it generally comprises a number of layers that alternate between a high index of refraction and a lower index of refraction. Generally, the top mirror has fewer mirror periods of alternating high index and low index of refraction layers, to enhance light emission from the top of the VCSEL.
Illustratively, the laser functions when a current is passed through the PN junction to inject carriers into the active region. Recombination of the injected carriers from the conduction band to the valence band in the quantum wells results in photons that begin to travel in the laser cavity defined by the mirrors. The mirrors reflect the photons back and forth. When the bias current is sufficient to produce a population inversion between the quantum well states at the wavelength supported by the cavity, optical gain is produced in the quantum wells. When the optical gain is equal to the cavity loss, laser oscillation occurs and the laser is said to be at threshold bias and the VCSEL begins to “lase” as the optically coherent photons are emitted from the top of the VCSEL.
The subject matter claimed herein is not limited to embodiments that solve any disadvantages or that operate only in environments such as those described above. Rather, this background is only provided to illustrate one example technology where some embodiments described herein may be practiced.